Improvement in lathes



I 3 Shcets--Shee l. BENJAMIN LAWRENCE. Improvement in Lathes. No, mme, Patented ne@ :2,1m

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' Sheets-$heet 2. BENJAMIN LAWRENCE. Improvement mLathes.

I. l N0. ZLSTB, Patented Dec-12,1871.

UNITED STATEs PATENT EEICE.

BENJAMIN LAWRENCE, OF LOVELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN LATHES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN LAWRENCE, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Baluster-Machines, otl which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, Sheet l, represents a central vertical longitudinal section. Figs. 2 and 3 are opposite side elevations. On Sheet 2, Fig. 4 represents a plan or top view. Figs. 5 and 6 are opposite transverse sectional elevations on the line A B of Fig. 2 0n Sheet 3, Fig. 7 represents a sectional elevation of the cutter-head pulley with the ordinary baluster-turning device applied to the face thereof. Fig. 8 is a face view of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of an ordinary shaft and pulley, with the slotted tool-holder plate applied to the face of a common face-plate. Fig. l() is an end or t'ace view of Fig. 9.

This invention consists-First, of a cutter-head composed of a pulley, a slotted plate, K, toolholders G and cutters, and a removable bushing, b, all the parts being constructed, arranged, and co-operating together for the production ot' the desired result, Viz., of turning balusters straight and of uniform size. Second, my invention consists of a rest or guide, J, being composed of a roll, y, arranged upon pivoted arms, and provided with segmentary gears arranged and opera-ting in connection with the feed-rolls N and P, substantially as shown in the drawing.

In constructing my improved baluster-machine and in operating the same I rst provide a suitable bed or base similar to a common lathe-bed or that of a common horizontal steam-engine, and upon the top of this I arrange and permanently secure the stands A, ,13, and C, which support the working parts of the machine. The central stand B, which forms the bearing and support for the cutter-head pulley I and its connections, is formed, as clearly shown in the drawing, with a projecting hub, D, which, with the central ear E, gives sufficient length of bearing for the pulley-bush or hub a, so that only one support is required; and by extending the hub D so far into the pulley the stand, pulley, slotted cutterhead plate, and tool-holders are made very compact in their construction, combination, and arangement, besides being permanent and durable, and not likely to get out ot" order or to remain loose. If worn on either part the pulley is only to be drawn endwise by turning a nut, e, on the end ot' the bush, when it will lit and iill as before. (See Fig. 1.) Within the pulley-bush or hollow arbor I insert a metal bushing, b, which is tapering on its outer surface, and lits and tills the tapering hole in the arbor which surrounds it. This inner bushing is easily removable to substitute another, which has alargeror a smaller central passage, F, the diameter of which should be precisely the diameter of the finished rod or roll which has passed the cutters, which are adjustable in two ways: in one way by moving the tool-holders G and the cutters d from or toward the center, or inward or outward in the dovetail slots H, first slackenin g or turning back the nuts h on the outer ends ofthe bolts i. The heads of these bolts are fitted in the dovetail slots, and when screwed up or tightened they draw the tool-holders iirm against the face of the slotted plate K. The other adjustment ofthe cutters is by set-screws n., which screw through each toolholder cap m and bind the cutter iirmly against the curved side v of the passage made in each tool-holder for the reception ot' a cutter, which is moved inward or outward by its own adjustment, or in either opposite direction by moving .the tool-holder; and thus the cutters are set or adjusted to form rolls of any diameter within the capacity ofthe machine, or which iill the passage in any suitable bushing which guides the iinished roll from the cutters, and thus insures its perfection. The usual concave or curved lips 7c project from the end of the bushing b to hold the rough material up to the critters. The slotted plate K, with the tool-holders and cutters, made adjustable as described, may be used on a common face-plate, L, and with a hollow spindle ot' an ordinary turning-lathe, (see Figs. J and 10,) and the stuft' fed by hand. In this way rods or rolls of different sizes may be formed by changing the bushing b and by adjusting the cutters, as before described; but in this case the bushing should be shortened or the passage F through the hollow spindle enlarged so as to receive bushings of different sizes. The cutter-head pulley,

constructed as described, with a hollow arbor or bush, a., and the supporting-stand B, with a sleevehub, D, may be used to support and carry the common baluster-forming device M, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8; or this may be removed and the 

